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Business South is an independent and influential organisation, connecting leading employers to promote the place & Champion the economy in our region. We aim to put businesses in the driving seat, to tell a compelling story of our region and illustrate we have so much to offer in terms of investment potential, innovation and growth.

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Business South prides itself on taking a cross-sector approach. From Digital to Marine and Maritime and Construction and Regeneration to Education, Business South ensures its programme reflects this multi-sector approach.
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Do you long to have your say on issues affecting your business and community? Business South has created a way for the business voice and expertise to be heard through input into our Action Groups and Forums. This is a great way to share ideas and pick up valuable, up to date intelligence.

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Business South has a great reputation for its events. In 2016 we staged 50 different gatherings ranging from round table debates to our showcase Annual Conference with 300 delegates.
As well as our own programme of events, Business South also manages events for third party organisations.

Gatwick set for busiest ever half term

Gatwick set for busiest ever half term

Over 1.3 million passengers will travel through Gatwick during half term week.

Gatwick set for busiest-ever October half-term as long-haul traffic soars

Over 1.3 million passengers travelling through Gatwick during half-term week, +3.5% on last year.Long-haul traffic up 21.7% as more holidaymakers head further afieldThree of the 10 biggest-growing long-haul routes are to the Caribbean – St. Lucia +197%, Kingston +68% and Punta Cana +48% on 2016More Brits than ever before will travel to transatlantic destinations for the October half-term break, as forecasts by Gatwick Airport predict thousands are planning to take advantage of the growing number of low-cost long-haul flight options on offer.

Gatwick's long-haul traffic is set to rise by 21.7% this half-term, compared with the same period in 2016. One in five October half-term passengers will travel on long-haul routes.

Destinations in the Caribbean and Florida will see the biggest boosts in popularity, with St. Lucia and Fort Lauderdale the two largest-growing long-haul routes, up 197% and 181% year-on-year. Kingston, Jamaica (+68%) and Punta Cana (+48%) also feature in Gatwick's top ten biggest-growing long-haul routes for the half-term break.

US and Canadian city breaks are on the rise too, with Oakland, San Francisco up 163% and Vancouver up 101% on 2016. Established holiday favourites New York and Los Angeles also continue to be popular half-term choices, +56% and +54% respectively.

Gatwick's substantial long-haul growth during the half-term break comes just weeks after Norwegian launched the world's longest low-cost route to Singapore from the airport, bringing Gatwick's long-haul network to more than 60 routes.

For those passengers opting to stay a little closer to home for half-term, the Greek islands will see a big surge in popularity. Mikonos and Zakynthos both feature in Gatwick's top ten biggest-growing short-haul routes for the week – with increases of 131% and 121% respectively – alongside Kos (+115%) and Kefallinia (+78%).

Gatwick's Head of Airline Relations Stephen King said:

"The significant rise in long-haul traffic at Gatwick means we are set to experience the busiest October half-term in our history. Gatwick now offers more than 60 long-haul routes and, with the growing number of low-cost long-haul destinations that we serve, our passengers are finding it easier than ever to travel further afield – with their budgets also going further.

"Britain's global connectivity has never been more important and that's why Gatwick, already the world's busiest single-runway airport, continues to add vital new connections to the world. In the next few months alone, new long-haul connections to Austin, Chicago, Taipei and Buenos Aires will begin as we look forward to providing passengers with even greater choice in long-haul destinations."

The 2017 October half-term holiday covers a ten-day period between Friday 20 October and Sunday 29 October.

About London GatwickGatwick Airport is the UK's second largest airport and the most efficient single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 228 destinations in 74 countries for 45 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the UK contributing £5.3 billion to national GDP and generating 85,000 jobs nationally, with around 24,000 on the wider airport campus alone. The airport is south of Central London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express, and is part of the Oyster contactless payment network. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.